Description
This is a topaz blue and tan leather interior 2001 BMW Z3 2. 2i.
I have owned this car for 10 years, and in that time have done less than 10, 000 miles of my own. The odometer now reads 64, 850 miles but I expect I will use it occasionally between now and its sale. I am reluctant to sell this car, as it is running very well just now after a few years in the garage on SORN and quite a lot of work done over the years including the following:
Rear metal brake pipes and leads replaced July 2020
Bonnet resprayed October 2020
Air Mass Sensor Replaced January 2021
Rear brake discs, shoes & pads replaced July 2021
Both outer sills replaced and resprayed (BMW parts) December 2022
Brake calipers and lines replaced/ repaired March & May 2023
2 front suspension coils replaced October 2024
OSR ABS wheel sensor & bonnet cable replaced July 2026
Oil changes have been relatively frequent for a car doing so little miles. There have been 6 oil changes over the decade and the last one will be organised before the car is sold.
The current MOT is dated July 2026.
The car has had 3 former keepers, before me.
I bought this car from a dealer in Altrincham in 2015.
Bad points:
There is a small voltage leak which can deplete the battery a little faster than usual. My mechanic did source this to being in connection to a broken car stereo so this has now been removed. There may be a small leak still, however I now use a solar charger placed on the dash and this keeps the battery charged.
There is no car stereo!
The car was involved in a minor accident in January 2023 when it was parked in a street whilst I was away from home. Someone reversed into one of the quarter panels (OS) and subsequently it was replaced and resprayed under the other person's insurance. There was no structural damage and you can't tell the work was done.
There are some very minor scratches in places, difficult to avoid with a car of this age, but in general the paintwork is excellent and comes up really well with a polish.
The last MOT does have some advisories on it. All suspension arms noted as 'corroded but not seriously weakened'.
Both front anti-roll bar pins are 'worn but not resulting in excessive movement'.
The sub-frame is 'corroded but not seriously weakened'
Both brake hoses are 'slightly deteriorated'.
The Z3 is such a beautiful car and has aged so well in its design. I took a long time to find this particular car, as I knew I wanted one in good condition. As soon as I saw this one, I phoned and travelled from Glasgow to Altrincham to view, and ultimately buy it.
The tan leather/ topaz blue contrast is so beautiful. It is a wonderful car to drive, with very responsive direct steering. You feel very connected to the road.
The car comes with a tan tonneau cover which can be seen in the photos. This is great for giving the car a 'finished' look with the hood down on those (slightly rare) Scottish summer days.
I do find the car to be pretty good in the autumn too - with the hood down, the heater on, and the zipped protector up at the rear, you are pretty well cocooned and insulated from the wind. It makes for a lovely comfortable driving experience.
The engine does sound brilliant - the 2. 2i straight 6 being a perfect compromise between efficiency and power. Being a fuel injected engine but not turbo, the power is delivered more linearly, and I feel that it just keeps on delivering as you put your foot down. It's not the fastest car in modern terms but is great fun as the gear ratios are so low that you can choose to drive almost constantly in 5th gear, even moving into a 30 zone, or drop the gears for more acceleration.
The driving position is great too - you are very close to the ground but with good visibility. As the wheels are so wide you do feel very planted.
I will miss this car very much but just can't justify keeping 3 cars in the city!
